Jeev's coach forced to remove turban at airport

New Delhi: Top Indian golfer Jeev Milkha Singh's coach Amritinder Singh was on Tuesday forced to remove his turban at the Milan airport by security officials there before being allowed to board the flight.

Amritinder, who was accompanying Jeev for three tournaments on the European Tour, was told that he could either remove the turban or not board the flight with several people at the airport watching the scene.

Jeev protested by telling the airport security officials that it was nothing but harassment but to no avail.

The adamant security staff at the airport let the duo off to board the flight only after Amritinder removed his turban and it was checked by them.

"I told the security people that this is not the way to conduct. I have been travelling for close to 35 years but such a thing had never happened," Amritinder singh told PTI over phone from Italy.

"It is a personal insult as I have travelled all over the world and even though security officials put their detectors around my turban, I have never had to remove my turban. For me it is like being asked to strip in public," he said.

"I belong to a country whose Prime Minister wears a turban and I feel India should take up issues with other countries.

I do not want to stand in the way of safety regulations, but a person's personal privacy has to also be respected," said Amritinder.

He said after the incident, Jeev called up India's Counsellor General in Italy and apprised him of the development. "He has assured us that he will take up the

matter", he said.

"I also told them that they could look at my passport and see that I am a sportsperson and have never been humilitaed like this but they refused to comply.

I even told them that this is not security but harassement," he added.

An agitated Jeev said it was nothing but harrasment of him and his coach by the Italian authorities.

"My father wears a turban and I would be horrified if he was told to remove it unneccessarily and unrespectfully in front of hundreds of people," said Jeev.

Legendary athlete Milkha Singh condemned the incident terming it as "shameful and disturbing".

"The incident is not in good taste and should be condemned by all," Milkha, father of Jeev, told.

The SGPC said the incident was a direct attack on the Sikh symbol and needed to be severely condemned.

"It is high time the Central government should take a serious note of such incidents," said Avtar Singh Makkar, the head of SGPC, the apex religious body of the Sikhs.

"I have written several letters to the Prime Minister on harassment faced by the Sikhs pertaining to their turban. I will again try to meet him and request him to forcefully take up the issue with concerned nations," said the SGPC chief.

Radical Sikh organisation Dal Khalsa said "it is a very shameful incident."

Simran Singh, Amritinder's father who lives in the Union Territory of Chandigarh, described the incident as "shameful and atrocious".

"It is bad, it is absolutely atrocious and should be condemned. The government should take up such issues seriously with concerned nations," he said.